When George Bush
was elected president in 2000, thinking folks were angry that so-called
everyday Americans voted Republican because, allegedly, they wanted to chug
beers with him. While alcoholics are
always more fun, some thought that was a poor reason to choose a leader.

But make no
mistake. When selecting your Beacon Hill
representative there’s no more important quality than a willingness to kiss ass
and shake hands.

It would be tough
to concoct a more damning lead for this dispatch than Matt Viser did for his piece
in today’s Boston Globe: “House
Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi has made public statements that are directly at
odds with the findings of state investigators. His close friends are under
scrutiny by state and federal prosecutors, and one has been charged criminally
with secretly trading on his connections to the speaker.